"Ambitious and comprehensive. It presents the results of two decades of research in a Maya lowland region that has seen more activity than most. Its chapters are synthetic, contributing to both archaeological theory and to culture history. . . . Will be a boon to students and professional archaeologists."--Journal of Field Archaeology

"Brings together recent findings and interpretations by many of the archaeologists active in and around the Belize Valley, one of the most intensively studied regions of the Maya lowlands. . . . A substantial contribution to Maya archaeology in particular, and Latin American anthropology in general."--Journal of Latin American Anthropology

"As Maya scholars raise increasingly clearer and better informed questions about the development of Maya civilization over two and a half millennia, the very rich data sets from the Belize Valley that this highly recommended volume discusses are certain to play a crucial role in providing new answers and even more clarified questions."--Journal of Anthropological Research

"The result is an outstanding body of evidence from Belize Valley that contributes to understanding the organization and dynamics of Maya society in general, and provides a stimulating basis for further research. Strongly recommended."--Choice

Rodney Carlisle, professor of anthropology and field school director at Texas Statue University-San Marcos, is the author of Archaeology at Cerros Belize, Central America, volume 2, The Artifacts.

A volume in the series Maya Studies, edited by Diane and Arlen Chase